WHO’s trauma care unit is a lifeline at Islam Qala border crossing
Akmal Younus receives trauma care at the WHO health facility, Zero Point Border in Islam Qala, Afghanistan. Photo credit: WHO
27 August 2025, Kabul, Afghanistan – Every day, thousands of returnees from Iran arrive at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province. Exhausted from long journeys, fleeing hardship and seeking safety, many are sick, injured or simply overwhelmed.
WHO Afghanistan has set up a trauma care unit at the Islam Qala reception centre. From outside it may look like a tent; inside it is a fully equipped emergency care facility with 7 beds, lifesaving supplies and a team of dedicated health professionals ready to act fast.
Since January 2025, over 3905 patients have received emergency treatment here. But care doesn’t stop at the trauma tent. Through WHO’s Primary Health Care Project, 31 frontline workers, including doctors, vaccinators and surveillance teams, provide additional support on-site. They’ve screened and vaccinated more than 1 299 567 people, mostly women and children, protecting them from diseases like measles and polio.
